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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to recognize State Representative
4William Burns for his service and hard work on behalf of the
5people of the State of Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Representative Burns was raised in Warrensville
7Heights, an inner-ring suburb of Cleveland, Ohio; he moved to
8Chicago to attend the University of Chicago, where he received
9his bachelor's and master's degrees; in 2001 he was named an
10American Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund
11of the United States; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Representative Burns served as Education and Tax
13Policy Manager for the Metropolitan Planning Council, where he
14organized a statewide education funding reform coalition and
15directed its legislative and communication campaign; he later
16joined the Chicago Urban League, serving as Vice President of
17Program and Field Offices, where he spearheaded the League's
18voting rights and redistricting efforts, managed the
19day-to-day programmatic activities, and coordinated the
20League's public policy initiatives; and
 
21    WHEREAS, After concluding his service with the Chicago
22Urban League, Representative Burns joined the staff of Senate

 

 

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1President Emil Jones, Jr., working his way up to Deputy Chief
2of Staff and Senior Advisor; he developed legislation on issues
3including criminal justice, consumer protection, education,
4minority business development, and ethics reform; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Representative Burns played a role in the early
6public service career of former State Senator and now President
7of the United States Barack Obama, serving as a volunteer on
8President Obama's first State Senate campaign and as Deputy
9Campaign Manager for Obama for Congress 2000; his experience as
10a political organizer also includes service as a campaign
11coordinator for the Democratic Party of Illinois; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Representative Burns was elected to the House of
13Representatives in 2008 and he is currently serving his second
14term; although Representative Burns' tenure with the Illinois
15House of Representatives has been short, his hard work and
16dedication have been invaluable to his constituents and to all
17the people of Illinois; he has developed a reputation as a
18hardworking, ethical, thoughtful, and intelligent legislator
19who puts the needs of the people first; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Government reforms have been a hallmark of
21Representative Burns' legislative agenda, as he sponsored
22measures to reform the State's procurement code, pensions,
23campaign finance laws, and Freedom of Information Act, thus

 

 

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1improving government transparency and accountability; and
 
2    WHEREAS, In his efforts to help eliminate gun violence,
3Representative Burns has pushed for tougher laws on gun
4ownership, purchasing and transfers, limitations on the types
5of weapons that should be allowed for sale, and laws to help
6stop gun trafficking and illegal straw purchasing; he has
7championed additional funding for anti-violence and
8after-school programs that help provide alternatives to crime
9and violence; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Representative Burns believes that in order for
11young people to compete in a global economy, they must have a
12quality education; he sponsored legislation to improve
13Illinois' education system, including measures to provide
14additional funding for local schools, reduced class sizes, and
15improved early education programs; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Representative Burns maintains a strong
17commitment to social justice and civic engagement; he has
18served on the boards of non-profit organizations, including the
19Lugenia Burns Hope Center, Mikva Challenge, Sargent Shriver
20National Center on Poverty Law, the Center for Tax and Budget
21Accountability, the Blue Gargoyle Youth Service Center, and the
22South East Chicago Commission; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Representative Burns is devoted to his wife,
2Robin, and to their daughter, Athena; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Representative Burns was recently elected
4Alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward, a role that will allow him to
5continue to advocate for the people; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
7NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we congratulate Representative Will Burns on his ascension to
9the Chicago City Council after his retirement from the Illinois
10House of Representatives; we wish him the best as he begins his
11new journey of public service; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to Representative Burns as a symbol of our respect
14and esteem.